Chapter 347: Enter the Shadow

The little doll's sudden, out-of-context shout of "There's killing intent!" instantly startled everyone, especially Yu Sheng, whose recent lifetimes had been unusually short—he went rigid all over, his body tensing as if he'd already decided where he'd die in the next second.

Immediately after, large patches of foxfire drifted around Hu Li; Luna snapped her fingertip blades into place from a hidden compartment on her thigh (she'd never reacted that fast before), Xuan Che lowered his stance with a deep breath sinking into his dantian, one hand pulling a medicinal gourd from his robes, the other assuming the starting posture of the Medic Riot Explosion Fist…

Then the group set up the "Yu Sheng Dies in the Divine-Xuan Combined Formation" right at the bustling entrance of Lingxi Mine Park, standing in silent confrontation with the air for half a minute until more and more onlookers gathered around…

Yu Sheng raised a hand and poked the little doll on his shoulder: "Where's this killing intent you mentioned?"

Ai Lin replied with perfect confidence: "It's gone now!"

Yu Sheng's temple veins bulged instantly: "You…"

"But there really was!" Ai Lin insisted just as confidently. "I felt it—something swept its gaze over me, and when I tried to sweep back, I sensed something malicious nearby, even if only for an instant."

Yu Sheng had been about to yank the thing off his shoulder and spin it like a windmill, but now he noticed the doll's face held no mischievous expression—he frowned slightly: "Really?"

"Why would I lie to you?"

"I perceived no hostile scrutiny," Xuan Che said, shaking his head beside them. "But Ai Lin's perception in this regard surpasses mine—she may indeed sense malice others cannot."

Luna retracted her fingertip blades and spoke slowly: "No scan detected."

"…Regardless, stay alert," Yu Sheng muttered, exhaling softly after frowning. "Let's head to the dimensional entrance. Don't draw attention here."

Xuan Che nodded, noticing the growing crowd, and casually cast a dispersal talisman; then he led the way, guiding Yu Sheng and the others swiftly through the mine gate and deeper into the "mine scenic area."

Yu Sheng didn't know the way—he followed Xuan Che, turning left and right, weaving through forests and trails. They passed a vast region of geologically enhanced scenery, then through many pavilions and courtyards displaying ancient mechanical devices, until the surroundings grew increasingly desolate and silent.

Further ahead, Yu Sheng clearly felt as if he'd crossed some kind of "boundary"—no more casual bystanders remained, only a faint, lingering sense of oppression clinging to the air.

"We've entered the restricted zone," Xuan Che whispered. "My sect left sealing arrays here to keep uninvited people away from the dangerous dimensional entrance—the entrance lies beneath the slope ahead."

Yu Sheng nodded lightly, observing his surroundings.

The so-called "mine ruins" were far larger than he'd imagined. The immortals who once mined spiritual ore on this colony satellite likely centered operations around a massive ore vein, building extensive processing and residential zones around it. The areas he'd passed through seemed to be the former residential, processing, and mechanical display zones—what lay before him now was the original ore vein.

Before him stretched a vast, desolate hilly expanse. Though millennia of colonization had thickened the planet's atmosphere and established a full ecological cycle, these hills retained a near-primitive alien wasteland. Everywhere were pale rocks streaked with faint blue veins, cracked earth, abandoned ore transport tracks, and unidentified large machines scattered among the boulders. Far off, several sloping shaft entrances opened into the ground, flanked by fierce, majestic beast statues—likely tied to Grand Void Pivot's local traditions.

As Yu Sheng's group neared one of the sloping shafts, several beams of colored light flashed overhead, followed by a group of young men and women in blue Daoist robes landing before them.

Leading them was a beautiful woman holding a cold, gleaming sword—composed and serene. After landing, she bowed deeply to Xuan Che: "Senior Brother."

Xuan Che returned the bow: "Mm. Su Yun. You've worked hard."

The other young cultivators bowed as well; some stole glances, curious yet cautious, at Yu Sheng's group—especially the "Silver Fox Immortal" with nine tails.

Hu Li bared her teeth at one of them (she just thought it was fun), and instantly everyone jerked back, snapping their gazes away.

The woman Xuan Che called "Su Yun" quickly lowered her head: "Immortal, please forgive her!"

Yu Sheng waved his hands: "Don't worry, don't worry—she's just playing with you… she doesn't bite."

"They're guests our master invited from the borderlands," Xuan Che introduced. "This is Mr. Yu. These others are Hu Li, Luna, and Ai Lin."

He then raised his hand, pointing to the woman leading the group: "This is my junior sister, Su Yun. She's been in charge of guarding this dimensional entrance since before I returned."

"The dimensional realm is truly strange. Our master has since forbidden ordinary disciples from entering for 'testing'—we're only here to guard the entrance until Senior Brother arrives," Su Yun said, visibly relaxing. "We've set up barriers around the old mining zone and deployed four patrols for vigilance."

Xuan Che nodded, then suddenly remembered Ai Lin's earlier cry of "killing intent." He frowned: "Has anything unusual occurred today?"

"No," Su Yun shook her head immediately. "I've been watching the entrance constantly. Aside from the shadow occasionally swelling and shrinking, there's been no change."

Xuan Che gave a slight nod and motioned for Su Yun to lead them to the strange sloping shaft entrance.

It was an extremely wide opening, flanked by the same fierce, majestic beast statues. Inside stretched a gentle, endless slope. Along its sides lay abandoned tracks and hoists. Though the shaft had long been abandoned, lights still glowed near the entrance—mysterious "pearls" of unknown material embedded in the beast-mouth pedestals on the walls emitted a cold, clear radiance.

Yu Sheng stood at the slope's entrance, gazing downward. Below lay a chaotic gloom. Though the wall lights extended downward, the farther they went, the more the light seemed suppressed, growing dimmer, shadows thickening.

"This mysterious realm's entrance is unmistakable—it's that dim, flickering region," Su Yun said beside them. "As you descend the slope, the lights on either side grow dimmer. Your own shadow grows clearer, heavier, until darkness surrounds you entirely and the wall lights can no longer illuminate the path ahead—that's when you enter the dimensional realm. But if you turn back then, you can still see the way you came—you can retrace your steps and exit. If you press forward, however, you'll step directly into the realm's depths…"

"Deep inside, you'll see bizarre scenes—nothing like a mine tunnel. The path you came from vanishes; you can't return the same way. To escape, you must keep walking toward light or the sound of wind until you find a path leading 'up'—perhaps stairs, a slope, a mountain trail. Follow such paths, and unless something goes wrong, you'll gradually sink back into darkness. When your footing becomes the mine's sloping path again, you can retrace your steps out."

"According to previous disciples who descended, there are no physical ghosts or demons in the realm—only an oppressive, chilling atmosphere that greatly affects the mind. The longer you stay, even without encountering enemies, your spirit grows restless, your Dao heart unstable. You begin to feel rising violence, convinced everyone around wants to harm you. Though willpower can overcome it, if truly trapped inside too long, disaster is inevitable."

Yu Sheng and Xuan Che exchanged a glance.

"Go down together?" Yu Sheng said casually.

Xuan Che smiled slightly: "Of course."

"Good," Yu Sheng nodded, then turned to look at Ai Lin on his shoulder. "Help me out."

Ai Lin blinked, confused: "Huh? Help with what?"

Yu Sheng looked dead serious: "Check if I've got blood disaster today."

"Oh, uh, okay," Ai Lin murmured dully, then lifted her tiny hands to cup Yu Sheng's face, studying him with solemn focus. After a long pause, she nodded gravely: "Yes. But the bleeding won't be heavy."

Yu Sheng's lip twitched: "Thanks so much for such precise judgment."

Xuan Che watched, bewildered, unsure what these two were doing—only assuming it was some mysterious ritual before a mission…

He then instructed Su Yun to keep the guard disciples on alert around the entrance, preventing unauthorized access to the mine shaft, and stepped forward with Yu Sheng toward the endless, dark slope.

The surrounding light gradually dimmed as they advanced.

The atmosphere began to change.

Yu Sheng couldn't name the change, but he felt a "boundary" drawing near. He stared at the slope ahead, where the wall lights could no longer reach, feeling as if a bottomless abyss lay below—and some immense "presence" had lifted its head from the depths, watching him with calm, cold indifference.

But the feeling vanished instantly. He shook his head, convinced it was just ordinary darkness and shadow.

The dimensional realm held no good or evil, no reason—it simply waited, still, for unwelcome guests to approach.

Hu Li walked beside him. Luna had her fingertip blades deployed. Xuan Che held a talisman in his hand. Ai Lin's fingertips flickered with faint electric sparks.

Then darkness came from all sides.

In that hazy instant, he seemed to hear countless distant, solemn shouts—voices like Lei Ting, rolling toward him, indistinct, yet he caught fragments—

"... Activate... the Great Array!"

(End of Chapter)